Iowa guard Kylie Feuerbach shoots 3 during a women’s basketball game between the #9 Iowa Hawkeyes vs Illinois Illini on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. The Hawkeyes defeated the Illini 82-78 in a comeback win. (Patrick Murphy/The Daily Iowan)
The No. 9 Iowa Hawkeyes scrape by the Illinois Illini in an 82-78 win on Thursday night at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Feb. 26, 2026.
“Phew, I’ll open with that,” said Iowa head coach Jan Jensen about the tight game against Iowa’s Big Ten rival. The game started with a quick 10-0 in Iowa’s favor, which was then quickly lost on an 11-2 run by Illinois. The teams never let the other gain the lead all the way until the half, which ended with 35-35. When the game resumed, neither team had a comfortable lead, with 14 lead changes and eight ties throughout.
“[In the Big Ten] everyone is gritty,” Iowa sophomore center Ava Heiden said to the media, reflecting on the game. Heiden, who is getting over a sickness, played a key role in the Hawkeye win today. She had the lowest time on the court of the starting five but put up the most points of her season at 28. Ava wasn’t the only shining sophomore; guard Taylor Stremlow had a record-setting night for herself. With 11 points and 11 assists, Stremlow had her first double-double.
The grit that Heiden spoke of was shown in the 34 total fouls of the physical game, including a shocking elbow injury to star Iowa senior forward Hannah Stuelke. After being down on the ground and walking to the locker room, she came back with a sleeve on her arm and played the rest of the game. In the end, she was second on her team in points, putting up 18.
The Hawkeyes travel to Madison, Wisconsin, to take on the Badgers on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at 2:00 pm CST.
Illinois junior guard Jasmine Brown-Hagger attempts a layup over Iowa senior forward Hannah Stuelke at the game between No. 9 Iowa vs Illinois at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. Stuelke came back from the injury and played the rest of the game, putting up 18 points. Iowa scraped by Illinois 82-78 to propel them to a record of 23-5. (Travis Crabb/The Daily Iowan). (Travis Crabb)Iowa fans react to a play at the game between No. 9 Iowa vs Illinois at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. This was the 51st sold out home game for Iowa Women’s Basketball. Iowa scraped by Illinois 82-78 to propel them to a record of 23-5. (Travis Crabb/The Daily Iowan). (Travis Crabb)Iowa team huddles up during a women’s basketball game between the #9 Iowa Hawkeyes vs Illinois Illini on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. The Hawkeyes defeated the Illini 82-78 in a comeback win. (Patrick Murphy/The Daily Iowan) (Patrick Murphy)Illinois freshman forward Cearah Parchment has the ball hit away by Iowa sophomore center Ava Heiden at the basketball game between No. 9 Iowa and Illinois at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. Heiden has eight points after the first half. Iowa and Illinois are stuck at a tie of 35-35 to end the half. (Travis Crabb/The Daily Iowan) (Travis Crabb)Iowa sophomore guard Chazadi Wright receives a hug from assistant coach Randi Henderson after the game between No. 9 Iowa vs Illinois at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. Wright spent the most time on the court of her team with 36:03 minutes. Iowa scraped by Illinois 82-78 to propel them to a record of 23-5. (Travis Crabb/The Daily Iowan). (Travis Crabb)Iowa team celebrates huge play during a women’s basketball game between the #9 Iowa Hawkeyes vs Illinois Illini on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. The Hawkeyes defeated the Illini 82-78 in a comeback win. (Patrick Murphy/The Daily Iowan) (Patrick Murphy)Iowa head coach Jan Jensen talks to Iowa senior forward Hannah Stuelke on the bench in tears at the game between No. 9 Iowa vs Illinois at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. Stuelke came back from the injury and played the rest of the game, putting up 18 points. Iowa scraped by Illinois 82-78 to propel them to a record of 23-5. (Travis Crabb/The Daily Iowan). (Travis Crabb)Illinois freshman guard Destiny Jackson reaction after she committed a foul on Iowa graduate student guard Kylie Feuerbach for the game between No. 9 Iowa vs Illinois at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. Feuerbach had two three-pointers, the only for Iowa during the game. Iowa scraped by Illinois 82-78 to propel them to a record of 23-5. (Travis Crabb/The Daily Iowan). (Travis Crabb)
